MLB insider: Royals find it's hard to repeat

It wasn't that long ago that the streets of Kansas City were awash in blue-clad fans. Hundreds of thousands of supporters turned out to celebrate the Royals winning their first World Series since 1985, and the feeling was that more titles were coming.

The Royals were unique in how they put the ball in play and made things happen on the basepaths. They were elite in the field. And any lead through five innings was insurmountable thanks to their powerful bullpen. It was a style of play that led them to back-to-back appearances in the World Series.

But the Royals have discovered just how hard it is to repeat.

They entered the weekend in fourth place in the AL Central Division, nine games back of first-place Cleveland. They were six games back in the wild-card standings, with six teams to leapfrog to get into the second spot.

The magic just isn't there, despite the Royals trying to convince themselves that they have another run in them.

"I think we can do it," righthander Edinson Volquez said last week. "I think we have a better team than last year."

When pressed to further explain himself — or to realize what he had just said — Volquez added. "Well, I think it's kind of close," he said. "Probably 50-50."

On top of their pitching woes, the Royals can't get their first-string lineup on the field at the same time. Third baseman Mike Moustakas was lost for the season when he tore his right ACL during a collision with teammate Alex Gordon on May 22. Gordon missed a month with a broken right wrist from the collision. Lorenzo Cain is out with a left hamstring strain. Righthander Kris Medlen has had a setback in his recovery from a shoulder strain.

And since the Royals aren't contending, they are considering being sellers before Monday's nonwaiver trade deadline. They would like to move Kennedy, whom they signed for five years and $70 million. But bigger problems are ahead, as Moustakas, Cain, Eric Hosmer and Wade Davis can be free agents after 2017. The window for the Royals to challenge for another World Series appears to be sliding shut. Who would have guessed that at the start of the season?

In a matter of months, Kansas City has gone from being the envy of the league to possibly being on the path to rebuilding. That's how quickly things can change in this game.

Central Intelligence

INDIANS: It's been a long season for Michael Brantley, who has played in only 11 games as he's struggled in his recovery from right shoulder surgery. He's been shut down three times, has received two cortisone shots and last week had a procedure to remove scar tissue. He has resumed hitting and maintains he will play before the season is over.

TIGERS: Detroit was a seller last year at the trade deadline, moving Yoenis Cespedes and David Price. The Cespedes move brought them righthander Michael Fulmer, who is 9-2 with a 2.50 ERA. Fulmer has nine quality starts, the most by a Detroit pitcher in his first 16 starts since Justin Verlander in 2005-06. So the Tigers have gotten an immediate return.

WHITE SOX: Brett Lawrie has been placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left hamstring. Tyler Saladino started at second base Wednesday, but manager Robin Ventura indicated that he will use Saladino and Carlos Sanchez at second while Lawrie recovers. Both players might be in the lineup on some days, with Saladino at third and Sanchez at second.

The 3-2 pitch

Three observations...

• Eduardo Nunez is a good fit for any team because of his speed and ability to fill in at three infield positions. But going to San Francisco, where manager Bruce Bochy is a postseason monster, couldn't have been better for him.

• Hopefully Andrew Cashner turns things around with the Marlins. Too much talent going to waste.

...and two predictions

• The Astros will catch the Rangers in the AL West by Sept. 1.

• Andrew McCutchen is batting .246 with a .317 on-base percentage. He will average .280 with a .360 OBP over the final two months of the season.